Effectiveness of Behavior Change Program Integrated with Electronic Health Information on Self-Care Perception, Preventive Behaviors and Fasting Blood Sugar for Diabetes Mellitus Risk Group in Muslim Community at Klongcheelom Sub-district, Kantang District, Trang Province

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of a behavior change program integrated with electronic health information on self-care perception, prevention behavior, and fasting blood sugar for a diabetes mellitus risk group in the Muslim community at Khlongcheelom Sub-district, Kantang District, Trang Province. Methods: This study was quasi-experimental research. The subjects consisted of 56 individuals at risk for diabetes in the catchment area of Khlongcheelom Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, aged 35 years and older, who were screened by fingerstick blood test after an 8-hour fast and had a fasting blood sugar level between 100 and 125 mg%. They were divided into two groups: an experimental group of 28 individuals from Moo 2, Ban Nongsamet, and a control group of 28 individuals from Moo 3, Ban Nongsamet. The experimental group received a behavior modification program combined with the use of electronic health information, based on the Health Belief Model (HBM), for a period of 12 weeks. The outcomes, including perceived self-care, diabetes prevention behaviors, and blood sugar measured by fingerstick blood test after an 8-hour fast, were evaluated before and after the intervention. Results: After the intervention, the experimental group's mean self-care perception (4.45±0.17 out of 5) was significantly higher than their score before the program (3.82±0.36) and also significantly higher than the control group's score after the intervention (4.02±0.28) (P<0.001). Following the program, the experimental group's mean diabetes prevention behaviors (4.03±0.34) was significantly higher than their score before the program (3.67±0.45) and significantly higher than the control group's score post-intervention (3.62±0.42) (P<0.001). Additionally, after the intervention, the mean fasting blood sugar in both the experimental group (96.00±6.76) and the control group (98.93±8.58) significantly decreased from their respective levels before the intervention (106.57±8.20 for the experimental group and 103.93±5.11 for the control group) (P<0.001). However, after the intervention, the mean fasting blood sugar did not significantly differ between the experimental group and the control group (P=0.162). Conclusion: The behavior change program integrated with electronic health information was effective in promoting self-care perception and diabetes prevention behaviors.